Snowmobile towing hitch

ABSTRACT

A hitch for towing one snowmobile with another which can be quickly disassembled for storage and transporting and readily reassembled for use. The hitch has a T-shaped tongue having an extendible cross member assembly. The outer ends swivel about the elongate axis of the cross member assembly. A pair of attaching clamp units are pivotally mounted in the swivel ends of the cross member assembly for clamping on the toe braces of the skis of a snowmobile which is to be towed.

Unite States Maki, J r.

atet H 1 Apr. 17, 1973 SNOWMOBILE TOWHNG HITCH [76] Inventor: Earl G.Maki, Jr., Sullivan, Wis.

[22] Filed: Jan. 5,- 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 215,539

[52] US. Cl.....; ..280/24, 280/494, 280/491 B [51] Int. Cl. ..B62b13/00 [58] Field of Search ..280/24, 492, 493, 280/494, 491 B; 180/5 R[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 881,708 3/1908 Noyes..280/24 2,743,118 4/1956 Dotson ..280/478 2,795,435 6/1957 Ortiz et al...280/493 X 3,464,735 9/1969 Smith ..296/23 3,560,013 2/l97l Lee..280/24 X FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 561,098 4/1957 ltaly..280/493 Primary Examiner-Leo Friaglia Attorney.loseph G. Werner et al.

[ 5 7 ABSTRACT A hitch for towing one snowmobile with another which canbe quickly disassembled for storage and transporting and readilyreassembled for use. The hitch has a T-shaped tongue having anextendible cross member assembly. The outer ends swivel about theelongate axis of the cross member assembly. A

pair of attaching clamp units are pivotally mounted in the swivel endsof the cross member assembly for clamping on the toe braces of the skisof a snowmobile which is to betowed.

5 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures SNOWMOBILE TOWING HITCH BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION This invention relates to towing hitches and more particularlyto a knock-down hitch for towing one snowmobile with another.

The usual practice for towing broken down snowmobile from a remote areato a location where it can be repaired 'is to merely tow the inoperablesnowmobile with a rope attached to the rear of another snowmobile. Thisapproach has several shortcomings and is needlessly unsafe because ofthe danger of the rope breaking, the possibility of the towed snowmobilecrashing into the rear of the towing snowmobile and the people thereonparticularly when stopping, and no steering is provided for the towedsnowmobile.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Basically, this invention resides in asnowmobile towing hitch that is safe and effective in use and which canbe readily knocked down for storage and transporting. The hitch has afixed dimension from front to back whereby the towing and towedsnowmobiles are maintained a fixed, safe distance apart. Further, theattaching clamps at the ends of the cross member assembly are fastenedto the toe braces of the snowmobile which is to be towed to providepositive steering of the towed vehicle.

The cross member assembly of the hitch is adjustable to facilitate useon snowmobiles having different width dimensions between skis.

In addition, the cross member assembly and attaching clamp units aresuitably pivotable above transverse axes to permit necessary movementduring towing.

When not in use, the hitch can be quickly knocked down or disassembledfor compact storage and can be conveniently carried as an accessory on asnowmobile for use when the need arises.

Further objects, features and advantages of the invention will beapparent from the' following detailed description taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings showing a preferred embodiment for exemplification of the principles of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a fragmentary elevation viewshowing a towing hitch embodying my invention in use on a towing andtowed snowmobile.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of my snowmobile towing hitch showing oneattaching clamp unit tightened on the toe brace of the ski of asnowmobile and the other attaching clamp unit in open position.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now more particularly tothe drawings wherein like numerals refer to like parts in both views, myhitch is referred to generally in the drawings by numeral 10. FIG. 1shows the hitch as it is attached to the rear of a towing snowmobile 11and the toe brace 12 of the skis l3 ofa snowmobile 14 to be towed.

The hitch has a T-shaped steel tongue having a longitudinal stem 15a anda tubular cross member 15b. The stem has a flat end 15c which isattached to the rear of a snowmobile by a hitch pin 16 for swinging in asubstantially horizontal plane.

A pair of steel lateral connector members 17 have their inner endsinserted into the tubular cross member 15b and are held in fixedrelation therein by removable pins 18 extending through the members.

A pair of tubular steel lateral extension members 19 have their innerends telescopically received on the outer ends of the connector members17. The lateral extension members are held in fixed position by pins 20extending through the members. These members each have a series oflaterally spaced holes 21 for adjusting the width of the hitch so thatit can be used to tow any snowmobile regardless of the spacing betweenthe skis thereof.

The lateral extension members 19 have outer swivel ends 22 which arerotatable with respect to their fixed inner ends about the elongate axisof the extension members.

A pair of attaching clamp units are mounted on the outer swivel ends ofthe lateral extension members for receiving and clamping on the fronttoe braces of the skis of the snowmobile which is to be towed. Eachattaching clamp unit is mounted by a cylindrical spacer sleeve 23rotatably received in an opening 24 extending transversely through theswivel end of the lateral extension member for rotation about a secondaxis perpendicular to the elongate axis of the extension member. Eachspacer sleeve is slightly longer that the cross section of the swivelend through which it extends. A stud 25 extends longitudinally througheach spacer sleeve from front to rear and has a threaded front end.

Each attaching clamp unit has a pair of clamping jaws 26 and 28. Thefirst jaw 26 is mounted on the end of stud 25 opposite the threaded endby a pin 27. The jaw 26 is substantially fixed in position, however, itmay have a slight pivotal movement about its connecting pin tofacilitate placement of the attaching clamp unit on the toe brace of asnowmobile ski. The second jaw 28 of each clamping unit is slideablyreceived on the mounting stud between the fixed jaw 26 and the spacersleeve 23.

Each attaching clamp unit has a locking member 30 pivotally mounted bypin 31 to clamping jaw 28. The locking member carriers a cross pin 32 inits free end which is releaseably engageable in a groove 33 formed inthe jaw 26 for linking the clamping jaws together about the toe brace ofa snowmobile ski.

A tightener shown in the form of wing nut 29 is threaded on the end ofstud 25 for drawing the clamping jaws toward one another. When the jawsare clamped about the tow brace of a snowmobile ski, the spacer sleeve23 maintains the freedom of movement of the attaching clamp unit aboutits pivot axis.

It is understood that my invention is not confined to the particularconstruction'and arrangement of parts herein illustrated and described,but embraces all such modified forms thereof as come within the scope ofthe following claims.

I claim:

1. A hitch for towing one snowmobile with another, comprising:

a. a rigid T-shaped tongue for substantially horizontal pivotalattachment to a towing snowmobile,

a pair of rigid lateral connector members removably pinned in fixedrelation to the cross member of said T-shaped tongue,

c. a pair of rigid elongate lateral extension members having a threadedend,

having their inner ends telescopically mounted on c. a pair of clampingjaws mounted on the end of said said connector members for axialadjustment tud opposite said threaded end, and thereon and removaltherefrom, ai ex n i n d. a tightener on the threaded end of said studfor members having outer swivel ends rotatable with 5 d i id l i jtoward one another, respect to Said inner ends about the elongate axissaid spacer sleeve maintaining the free movement Ofsaid extensionmembers of said attaching clamp unit in said swivel end d. a pair ofattaching clamp units mounted on the about Said second axis outer swivelends of said lateral extension members for receiving and clamping on thefront toe l0 braces of the skis of a snowmobile to be towed, saidattaching clamp units being pivotally movable about an axissubstantially perpendicular to the elongate axis of said lateralextension members.

2. The snowmobile towing hitch as specified in claim 1, wherein each ofsaid attaching clamp units comprise:

a. a cylindrical spacer sleeve rotatably received in the swivel end ofsaid lateral extension member for rotation about a second axissubstantially perpendicular to the elongate axis of said extensionmember, said spacer sleeve being longer than the cross section of theswivel end through which it extends,

b. a stud extending through said spacer sleeve and 3. The snowmobiletowing hitch as specified in claim 2, wherein the first jaw of said pairof clamping jaws is mounted on the end of said stud opposite saidthreaded end and the second jaw is slideably received on said studbetween said first jaw and said spacer sleeve.

4. The snowmobile towing hitch as specified in claim 2 wherein each ofsaid attaching clamp units has a locking member pivotally mounted on oneof said jaws and releaseably engageable with the other jaw of said pairof jaws for linking said jaws together.

5. The snowmobile towing hitch as specified in claim 1 having a seriesof spaced adjustment holes in said members for adjusting the lateralposition of said clamping units.

1. A hitch for towing one snowmobile with another, comprising: a. arigid T-shaped tongue for substantially horizontal pivotal attachment toa towing snowmobile, b. a pair of rigid lateral connector membersremovably pinned in fixed relation to the cross member of said T-shapedtongue, c. a pair of rigid elongate lateral extension members havingtheir inner ends telescopically mounted on said connector members foraxial adjustment thereon and removal therefrom, said extension membershaving outer swivel ends rotatable with respect to said inner ends aboutthe elongate axis of said extension members, d. a pair of attachingclamp units mounted on the outer swivel ends of said lateral extensionmembers for receiving and clamping on the front toe braces of the skisof a snowmobile to be towed, said attaching clamp units being pivotallymovable about an axis substantially perpendicular to the elongate axisof said lateral extension members.
 2. The snowmobile towing hitch asspecified in claim 1, wherein each of said attaching clamp unitscomprise: a. a cylindrical spacer sleeve rotatably received in theswivel end of said lateral extension mEmber for rotation about a secondaxis substantially perpendicular to the elongate axis of said extensionmember, said spacer sleeve being longer than the cross section of theswivel end through which it extends, b. a stud extending through saidspacer sleeve and having a threaded end, c. a pair of clamping jawsmounted on the end of said stud opposite said threaded end, and d. atightener on the threaded end of said stud for drawing said clampingjaws toward one another, said spacer sleeve maintaining the freemovement of said attaching clamp unit in said swivel end about saidsecond axis.
 3. The snowmobile towing hitch as specified in claim 2,wherein the first jaw of said pair of clamping jaws is mounted on theend of said stud opposite said threaded end and the second jaw isslideably received on said stud between said first jaw and said spacersleeve.
 4. The snowmobile towing hitch as specified in claim 2 whereineach of said attaching clamp units has a locking member pivotallymounted on one of said jaws and releaseably engageable with the otherjaw of said pair of jaws for linking said jaws together.
 5. Thesnowmobile towing hitch as specified in claim 1 having a series ofspaced adjustment holes in said members for adjusting the lateralposition of said clamping units.